Construction Plans and Designing Your Surgery Center

Once you have finalized, accepted and approved your design & floor plan it’s time to implement the construction drawings phase of the project. The good news is that when you have made all revisions to the design & floor plan your contractor can prepare a separate proposal on the cost of the construction drawings and a separate proposal on the construction project as a whole. Depending on what you need and how experienced your contractor is in medical facilities development he/she can tell you if engineering drawings are applicable for your project. You can also find out from your city’s plan check office. Keep in mind if you are in a pre-existing building. The company contacts I work with know the building codes.

Construction usually includes Drywall and Framing, Electrical, Plumbing, T-Bar Ceiling, Painting, Flooring, Nurse call, Fire Life Safety, Fire Sprinklers, H.V.A.C and Demolition (NOT THE COMPLETE LIST, just information to keep you aware of what you will be charged so you can have the knowledge to understand the process). Now there is the standard price of materials included in the proposal however if you choose to upgrade materials during the course of your project your contractor will need for you to sign off on a “change order.” Change orders are additional fees.

Additional costs you will be looking at are Medical Gas, Vacuum System and Type 1 Essential Electrical System (Emergency Power Generator or UPS). These apply for Medicare certified centers. Some are applicable to the surgery center accreditation process.